Exporting entity Issue failed with java.lang.NullPointerException

Platform Notice: Cloud and Data Center - This article applies equally to both cloud and data center platforms.

Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.

*Except Fisheye and Crucible

Summary

Learn what to do when your project migration with the Jira Cloud Migration Assistant (JCMA) fails with "Exporting entity Issue <issue-key> failed".

Overview

When migrating from Jira On-Premise to Cloud, the migration plan fails with the above error message message.

The error comes along with the below signature in the application log file atlassian-jira.log:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Exporting entity Issue <issue-key> failed com.atlassian.cache.CacheException: java.lang.NullPointerException at com.atlassian.cache.memory.DelegatingCache.get(DelegatingCache.java:214) at com.atlassian.cache.memory.DelegatingCache.get(DelegatingCache.java:165) at com.atlassian.cache.impl.metrics.InstrumentedCache.get(InstrumentedCache.java:72) at com.atlassian.jira.issue.fields.config.persistence.CachedFieldConfigSchemePersister.getConfigSchemesForCustomField(CachedFieldConfigSchemePersister.java:111) at com.atlassian.jira.issue.fields.config.manager.FieldConfigSchemeManagerImpl.getConfigSchemesForField(FieldConfigSchemeManagerImpl.java:66) at com.atlassian.jira.issue.fields.ImmutableCustomField.getConfigurationSchemes(ImmutableCustomField.java:1213)

This happens when cascading custom fields have contexts assigned to a project limiting the kind of Issue Types, but in the past, there were issue types assigned that have the custom field assigned in issues.

As an example, if a context was in the past restricted to Bug and Defect issue types only, and then later on it was restricted to the issue type of Bug only, you will see such a failure as the issues would have data from this custom field with issue type Defect.

Solution

  1. Identify what are the issue types used in the project with the below query, replacing "<pkey>" with the affected project key:

    1 2 3 4 5 6 SELECT count(*) , it.pname FROM jiraissue ji JOIN issuetype it ON ji.issuetype = it.id WHERE pkey = '<pkey>' GROUP BY it.pname;
  2. Filter for custom fields that are of type cascading.

    1. Go to > Issues.

    2. Click on Custom Fields.

    3. Select Type as "Select List (cascading)".

    4. Select Project with the affected project.

      Custom field filter
    5. Audit all the custom fields you see in this list, making sure there are only valid ussue types.

      Issue types and contexts
  3. Verify that all the issue types in use on the project from the SQL query above are selected in the applicable issue types in the context.

Updated on April 17, 2025

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